News & Stories
Health plan open enrollment begins Nov. 1
The Corinthian Plan, the health plan of Mennonite Church USA (MC USA), provides affordable group health coverage for pastors and staff of eligible congregations. Open enrollment for 2022 is from Nov. 1-Dec. 31, 2021. All MC USA-affiliated congregations can enroll their eligible staff for health coverage, life and disability insurance, and/or optional dental and vision coverage. For more information, please…
Webinar to focus on reason for immigration
If you are interested in learning more about the reasons why some people are migrating to Ohio, consider participating in a webinar on Nov. 4. This webinar, titled “Terror and Loss — War in Guatemala,” will feature Maria Garcia from Eastern Michigan University. She will discuss the civil war in Guatemala and how it started the migration of Mayan refugees to the…
Retreat registration deadline is extended
The registration deadline for the Ohio Conference Pastor-Spouse Retreat has been extended to Oct. 28. There is still room for two more couples to attend this retreat, which will take place Nov. 12-14 at the Mills Park Hotel in Yellow Springs. To register or to learn more, go to https://bit.ly/2021Pastor-Spouse.
Register for Believe and Be Baptized by Oct. 25
Ohio Conference and Central District Conference are co-hosting a workshop about baptism, Believe and Be Baptized: Conversations on a 500-year-old Tradition. Led by historian John D. Roth, this workshop will take place Saturday, Nov. 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Columbus Mennonite Church. The workshop will include a time of conversation with local Catholic and Lutheran clergy, and…
Delegate News – A statement from the Conference Leadership Team
To: Ohio Conference delegates and credentialed ministers Re: Documents to review before fall cluster meetings In preparation for fall cluster meetings, we would like you to have copies of three resolutions that Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) is planning to bring to the delegates at the Delegate Assembly scheduled for May 27-30, 2022, in Kansas City. Accessibility Resolution proposed by the Anabaptist…
Delegate News – Fall 2021 #3
Five fall cluster meetings scheduled Update: The Oct. 19 cluster meeting at Beech Mennonite has been canceled due to low registration numbers. Please plan to join us: Five fall cluster meetings have been scheduled for delegates to the Ohio Conference Annual Conference Assembly. Each meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and last approximately 90 minutes. Locations are as follows: Oct.…
MC USA initiative focuses on poverty
Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) has launched “Learn, Pray, Join: Cost of Poverty,” an initiative to raise awareness about the impact of the pandemic on poverty in the United States and how Jesus calls his followers to respond. This fall MC USA is seeking to engage people in the initiative by offering resources, prayers and ways to care for one another and…
Register for Believe and Be Baptized by Oct. 25
Ohio Conference and Central District Conference are co-hosting a workshop about baptism, Believe and Be Baptized: Conversations on a 500-year-old Tradition. Led by historian John D. Roth, this workshop will take place Saturday, Nov. 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Columbus Mennonite Church. The workshop will include a time of conversation with local Catholic and Lutheran clergy, and…
Everence seeks financial consultant
Everence Financial is growing in Holmes and Wayne counties, and looking for a highly motivated individual to grow with Everence as a financial consultant. The ideal candidate will have a passion for finance, great analytical skills, and the ability to build trusting relationships. But most importantly, they will have a burning desire to help Everence members plan for their financial…
Immigration guide focuses on scriptures
Have you explored “A Biblical Guide to Immigration” yet? This past summer, the Ohio Conference Immigration Resource Team released this guide, which includes a compilation of scriptures related to immigration. This resource is suitable for both personal and congregational use. A copy of this guide is available at https://bit.ly/BiblicalGuideToImmigration and on the “Immigration” page of the Ohio Conference website: https://ohiomennoniteconference.org/resources/immigration.
Generations can grow in faith together
There are many settings in which children, youth and adults can grow in faith together rather than as separate groups. Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) has added an Intergenerational Faith Formation resource page to the MC USA website. To view, go to https://bit.ly/IntergenerationalFaithFormation. At that web address you will find a collection of the resources which were shared in a…
Webinar to focus on mutual support for people experiencing mental illness
Anabaptist Disabilities Network and Church of the Brethren Discipleship Ministries are co-sponsoring a webinar titled “Churchwide Change: Strategies to reduce stigma and increase mutual support for people experiencing mental illness in our congregations.” This webinar, featuring input from Janelle Bitikofer, will take place Oct. 7 from 2 to 3 p.m. A previous webinar led in June by Janelle Bitikofer, “Providing…
COVID-19 Meeting Guidelines
Update: The COVID guidelines that were established for Conference events will stay in place until the end of the calendar year, and the Ohio Conference Leadership Team will re-visit this issue in January. The Leadership Team made this decision at its Nov. 18 meeting.
An announcement from the Leadership Team
Due to an increased workload as interim head administrator at Central Christian School and the complexities that position requires at the present time, Terry Shue has regretfully resigned his position as moderator of Ohio Conference, effective immediately. Paula Snyder Belousek, who has been serving as assistant moderator, has been appointed to serve as the interim conference moderator until the Gifts Discernment…
Laurelville to offer leadership training
Laurelville Retreat Center in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, is once again offering training in the Values Based Leadership Program, beginning this fall. The training will include both an in-person event at Laurelville Oct. 6-8 and six Zoom sessions. The Values Based Leadership Program equips individuals who want to develop their leadership skills from a values perspective. To learn more, please see…
Deficit grows during August
Giving to Ohio Conference remained lower during the month of August, according to figures provided by Financial Coordinator Stan Helmuth. Receipts for the month were $21,321, similar to the amount received in July, which was $21,768. Expenses for August totaled $28,254, resulting in a $6,933 deficit for the month. At the end of August, the year-to-date operating balance was -$10,057.…
Youth Worker Retreat has been canceled
Ohio Conference’s Youth Worker Retreat, planned for Oct. 15-17 at Camp Luz in Kidron, has been canceled due to low registration.
Faith Formation Roundtable offers discussion
Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) is hosting a series of virtual Faith Formation Roundtable discussions to connect, encourage and support faith formation leaders amid the uncertainties of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. These discussions are being held via Zoom twice a month through the end of October. These online gatherings are held Tuesdays at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Upcoming discussion topics are as follows:
Sept. 21 — Staying connected with your college students
Oct. 12 — Ruth Goring, Mennonite author of children’s books
Oct. 19 — Family faith formation with “Pause: Play, Breathe, Pray”
To participate, please register at https://bit.ly/FaithFormationSignup.
Women’s Retreat to use personal retreat format
Camp Luz in Kidron will hold a Women’s Retreat Sept. 24-25. This event will follow personal retreat format. Each woman will have her own room, unless requesting to share with a family member. Prayer stations and a simple devotional will be provided, but participants are welcome to use their own devotional resources if they like. Three meals will be provided on Saturday,…
Resslers receive regional Journey Award
Bill and Edna Ressler of Dalton were chosen recently to receive a Journey Award from the Everence Financial® offices in Northeast Ohio. The award recognizes the Resslers for their generosity in sharing their resources. See https://bit.ly/2021JourneyAward for more information.
Girl Named Tom to compete on The Voice
Girl Named Tom, a sibling trio from Zion Mennonite Church in Archbold, is competing on NBC’s The Voice this season, which begins Sept. 20. The date that the group’s audition will air has not been announced. See https://bit.ly/AnabaptistWorldGNT and https://bit.ly/TheVoice2021GNT for more information.
New wineskins
By Dick Barrett Conference Minister “No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put…
Resources offer responses to pandemic challenges
By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate This month I would like to highlight two resources, one primarily for pastors and one for families. What Now? MennoMedia is offering the “What Now?” series designed specifically for pastors as they navigate the challenges and opportunities that have emerged as a result of the global pandemic. In August, September, and October subscribers are…
Central Christian remains focused on its mission
Following a challenging 2020-21 school year, Central Christian School in Kidron is focusing on fulfilling its mission of developing Christian leaders. “Central Christian is on task with the mission of growing Christian leaders who know Christ and make Christ known,” said Interim Head Administrator Terry Shue. The staff is committed to that mission and to doing it through an Anabaptist…
Songs & Salsa to benefit Open Arms
Save the date: Open Arms Hispanic Ministries will hold its annual Songs & Salsa fundraising event on Sunday, Oct. 10, at 6 p.m. at Salem Mennonite Church, 3363 Zuercher Road, Dalton. Tortilla chips will be served with a variety of salsas and dips. The group Renacer from Goshen, Indiana, will provide music. A freewill offering will be taken to benefit…
Immigration Resource Team shares resources
The Ohio Conference Immigration Resource Team is continuing its work of raising awareness and sharing resources related to immigration. Scripture resource This summer, the Immigration Resource Team released a resource titled “A Biblical Guide to Immigration.” This guide, which includes a compilation of scriptures related to immigration, is suitable for both personal and congregational use. “A Biblical Guide to Immigration”…
Mennonite Church USA seeks communications staffers
Mennonite Church USA is seeking a full-time multimedia news editor and a full-time marketing, communications and engagement associate. See the announcements below for more information: Mennonite Church USA is seeking a full-time marketing communications and engagement associate to assist in all levels of project execution, including research, coordination of online and in-person events, handling constituent inquiries, writing, production, newsletter/collateral distribution and analytics/reporting. This…
Over The Edge to raise funds for Lighthouse Ministries
Lighthouse Ministries in Canton will hold its Over The Edge fundraiser Sept. 14 and 15. During this fundraiser, people from all over northeast Ohio will be rappelling 150 feet down the Onesto and Bliss Lofts in downtown Canton. Participants have to raise $1,000 for the right to rappel. All funds raised benefit Lighthouse Ministries programs which provide academic support, mentoring and scholarship opportunities for the children…
Prepare/Enrich training offered this fall
This fall Ohio Conference is offering training in a program called Prepare/Enrich. This training will be offered twice, on Sept. 30 at Salem Mennonite Church in Kidron and Oct. 19 at West Clinton Mennonite Church in Wauseon. This training equips pastors to use the Prepare/Enrich assessment with engaged and married couples. With almost 40 years of research validation, Prepare/Enrich has…
MDT awards two Ministry Grants
The Ohio Conference Ministry Development Team (MDT) has awarded two grants totaling $2,750. The MDT approved these grants at its Aug. 24 meeting. Grants will provide funds toward the following projects: Youth Events — Lee Heights Community Church in Cleveland is receiving funding for two youth programs intended to promote personal development, career exploration and faith formation, a Youth Exposure Trip…